Lamentable lack of ethnic minority head teachers

Local authorities have been accused of not doing enough to support black and minority ethnic (BME) teachers, resulting in a shortage of people from this group in leadership positions.

According to studies by the Training and Development Agency (TDA) and the London Borough of Hackney, conducted by Integrity Coaching, fewer than 3% of head teachers are from black and ethnic minority backgrounds and they are inclined to leave the profession earlier than their white counterparts.

The reports found local authorities are not supporting the career progression of BME teachers and recommends there should be a new type of continued professional development to address the personal as well as the professional needs of these teachers.

Viv Grant, director of Integrity Coaching, said: "Local authorities must recognise that in order to make headship attractive to teachers from such backgrounds, they need to demonstrate they are aware of the additional challenges they face and that they are committed to supporting aspiring black and ethnic minority leaders."